System and method for drug management utilizing transferable labels

ABSTRACT

A system and method for drug management using transferable labels provides a chain of identity for medications from their arrival in a pharmacy to administration to a patient. Drug information is read, in some embodiments optically, and imprinted on a transferable label optionally fabricated of low stretch, chemical resistant material, that is attached to the medication package. The transferable label is checked to make sure that it correctly corresponds to the drug information. At the time of preparation for administration, the transferable label is transferred from the medication package to the administration device, typically a syringe or dose cup. The health care giver scans the patient identification information, usually found on an identification bracelet, the transferable label, and optionally, a unique code belonging to the administering party. The system will reject non-matches between scanned inputs, and may be configured with a variety of safety steps, displays, and reports.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/445,792 which was filed on May 27, 2003.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The instant invention relates to a method and system for identifyingprescribed medication for a patient, particularly a method of utilizingtransferable machine readable labels in a drug management system toimprove safety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The United States Food and Drug Administration estimates thatapproximately 1.3 million people in the United States are accidentallyinjured each year by medical therapy, 98,000 fatally. One studyestimated the cost of treating patients suffering adverse drug effectsto be nearly $4.5 billion annually. One type of adverse drug event, andone of the most tragic, is an error in administration, where the wrongdrug or wrong dosage of the right drug is administered to a patient.

At least one study has shown that patients are in greatest danger ofbeing exposed to a medication administration error during the first 48hours of admission to a health care facility and within the first 48hours after prescription of a new drug. These are precisely the timeswhen staff and patients are both least likely to be familiar with thecorrect drugs, dosages, and treatment regimens appropriate for theindividual. This highlights the need for fail-safe systems that reducethe possibilities of human error during drug administration.

Simple labeling of drug packages with printed indicia has progressed tocoding of items as small as unit dose containers, or even single pillsand capsules, with machine readable code, as seen for example, in U.S.Pat. No. 5,700,998 to Palti. This patent discloses a method of barcoding individual tablets and capsules. Such individual bar codes can beread by systems such as that seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,713 to Brown.

A number of methods incorporate such coding as part of patient safetysystems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,713 to Brown discloses asystem that both reads patient identification bands and medication unitdose bar codes, and interacts with a patient history file and aphysician instruction file in a host computer, and a transaction fileand an instruction file in a portable computer. The system compares thebar codes on the medication with the patient's identification, doctor'sorders, and other database items.

However, all these systems pose two problems. First, a small bar code isoften limited in the amount of information it can carry. Such coding ofdrugs traditionally identifies only limited information about the drugidentity and the dosage. If additional patient or drug information isdesired to be coded, a larger individualized bar code must be generatedand attached to the medication in some fashion. Second, previous systemsassume that a machine readable bar code is present on the unit dosepackaging or on the medication itself, at all critical stages in theroute of administration from prescription to patient. This has beendifficult or impossible to achieve, until now, with a large class ofmedications, namely, those that are supplied in a liquid form, or in apowdered form for use with a diluent, where the medication must be drawninto a patient administration device. The prototypical example of thisclass is a liquid drug dispensed in a small ampule or vial, which mustbe opened, the contents of which are drawn into a syringe, and thenadministered to a patient. As an initial matter, the very small size ofsuch ampules makes it difficult to bar code them. This small amount ofspace is further limited by the fact that the ampule labeling must notbe covered by the bar code. Even if a bar code is attachable to anampule, the small size limits most bar codes to very rudimentaryinformation. Lastly, conventional bar codes placed on the ampule are nottransferable, and therefore are detached from the medication as soon asthe drug is dispensed into a syringe or other patient administrationvehicle. This creates a potentially hazardous break in the chain oftracking of drugs from dispensing unit to patient administration.

Drugs are frequently opened or compounded in a pharmacy, drawn intosyringes, and then transferred to a patient care unit. Alternatively,they are often prepared in a preparation area adjacent to a patient'sroom. Accordingly, there is a break in the chain of coding betweenpharmacy and eventual administration. The syringes or other patientadministration devices may be placed into bar code labeled bags, or suchsimilar carrier, but at all stages after the drug is placed into thesyringe, there is an ever present danger that the drug will be separatedfrom the labeling. Accordingly, there is a continuous danger of patientdosing mishaps.

The instant invention solves both of these shortcomings of previous barcode systems by providing a small bar code that can be custom printed toindividual patients and their medications, and transferred frommedication ampules or other small containers onto patient administrationdevices such as syringes or dose cups, thereby allowing medication to beaccurately tracked and checked at any and all points between prescribingand administration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to a novel method and system forincreasing the security of drug administration by providing a positivechain of identity from the time a drug is received by a health carefacility to the time that it is administered to a patient.

The method and system is designed to provide a transferable label thatis attached to the medication and transferred from the manufacturerpackaging onto a syringe or a dose cup. The system provides for acomputer system containing a plurality of patient and drug informationnetworked with a plurality of input devices, along with optional displaydevices, and a means for imprinting transferable labels bearing machinereadable code.

In accordance with the present invention, medications are received intheir manufacturer's packaging at a pharmacy or other receiving area.Such medications will either bear a manufacturer supplied machinereadable code, or visually readable indicia identifying the medication.Medications bearing a manufacturer supplied machine readable code arescanned, and a transferable label corresponding to the optically readdrug information is generated and affixed to the packaging. Given thecapacity of the transferable label, in some embodiments of the instantinvention, to bear large amounts of machine readable code, informationencoded on the transferable label may not necessarily be restricted todrug information, and may include individualized patient, or other,information. Medications not bearing a manufacturer supplied machinereadable label have the information from their readable indicia inputinto the computer system, and a transferable label corresponding to theinput drug information is generated and affixed to the packaging.

The transferable labels may incorporate many embodiments, includingcodes capable of conveying large amounts of information, codescontaining error correction protocols, tabbing to ease placement of thelabels, adhesive backing allowing multiple adhesion-removal cycles, andfabrication from materials designed to resist stretch and also to resistcommon chemicals found in health care environments.

After a safety check to make sure that the medication packaging matchesthe information imprinted on the transferable label, the drugs arereleased to a preparation area. As the drugs are dispensed into avariety of patient administration vehicles, such as syringes and dosecups, the transferable labels are removed from the medication packagesand transferred to the administration vehicles. This maintains a chainof identity from the pharmacy or other dispensing area to the patient.

At the time of administration, the health care giver intending toadminister the information must scan patient identification informationfrom a patient identification device, scan the transferable label, andoptionally scan their own identity information, before securingpermission from the system to administer the medication. The system iscapable of various alarms, displays, reports and may contain safetyenhancing embodiments to discourage attempts to circumvent the system.

Thus, there is disclosed a method for drug management using transferablelabels, the method comprising the steps of providing a medicationpackage containing at least one medication and primary information;applying a transferable label containing transferable label informationexpressed as machine readable code to the medication package, thetransferable label information being relative to the medication;scanning the transferable label with a drug information collection unitadapted to obtain the transferable label information from thetransferable label; communicating the transferable label informationfrom the drug information collection unit to a computer system;comparing the transferable label information and primary informationobtained from the medication package; preparing the medication for finaladministration in a patient administration vehicle if the transferablelabel information corresponds to the primary information; transferringthe transferable label from the medication package to the patientadministration vehicle; scanning a patient identification device with adata collection unit adapted to obtain patient identificationinformation from the patient identification device and the transferablelabel; scanning the transferable label with the data collection unit toobtain the transferable label information; comparing the patientidentification information and the transferable label information; andadministering the medication if the patient identification informationcorresponds to the transferable label information.

There is also disclosed a system for drug management using transferablelabels, the system comprising a computer system containing at least oneunique patient medical history file and a plurality of medicationinformation relative for each of a plurality of predetermined drugs; aplurality of input means capable of receiving a plurality of informationand communicating with the computer system; a plurality of display meanscapable of displaying any of the plurality of information andcommunicating with the computer system; at least one printer incommunication with the computer system and capable of printing atransferable label containing transferable label information expressedas machine readable code corresponding to the information relative tothe medication; at least one transferable label, imprinted with themachine readable code; and a patient administration vehicle for deliveryof the medication to a patient.

There is further disclosed a method for drug management usingtransferable labels, the method comprising the steps of providing amedication package containing at least one medication; applying atransferable label containing transferable label information expressedas machine readable code to the medication package, the transferablelabel information being at least relative to the medication; scanningthe transferable label with a drug information collection unit adaptedto obtain the transferable label information from the transferablelabel; communicating the transferable label information from the druginformation collection unit to a computer system; comparing thetransferable label information and primary information obtained from themedication package; preparing the medication for final administration ina patient administration vehicle if the transferable label informationcorresponds to the primary information; transferring the transferablelabel from the medication package to the patient administration vehicle;scanning a patient identification device with a data collection unitadapted to obtain patient identification information from the patientidentification device and the transferable label; communicating thepatient identification information to the computer system andassociating the patient identification information to at least oneunique patient medical history file; scanning the transferable labelwith the data collection unit to obtain the transferable labelinformation; displaying on at least one display device at least aportion of the information contained in the computer system; comparingthe patient identification information and the transferable labelinformation; and administering the medication if the patientidentification information corresponds to the transferable labelinformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Without limiting the scope of the present invention as claimed below andreferring now to the drawings and figures:

FIGS. 1 through 3 form a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of themethod for drug management utilizing transferable labels of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the system for drugmanagement utilizing transferable labels of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a top plan view, not to scale, of the transferable label ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 shows an elevated perspective view, not to scale, of thetransferable label of FIG. 5 in an embodiment for an injectablemedication, illustrating the transferable label affixed to a medicationpackage in the form of a drug vial and a patient administration vehiclein the form of a needle tipped syringe; and

FIG. 7 shows an elevated perspective view, not to scale, of thetransferable label of FIG. 5 in an embodiment for orally administeredmedication, illustrating the transferable label attached to a medicationpackage in the form of a blister package and a patient administrationvehicle in the form of a dose cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The system and method for drug management utilizing transferable labelsof the instant invention enables a significant advance in the state ofthe art. The preferred embodiments of the apparatus accomplish this bynew and novel arrangements of elements that are configured in unique andnovel ways and which demonstrate previously unavailable but desirablecapabilities.

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the drawingsis intended merely as a description of the presently preferredembodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the onlyform in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. Thedescription sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods ofimplementing the invention in connection with the illustratedembodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same orequivalent functions and features may be accomplished by differentembodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spiritand scope of the invention.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1 through 7, in one form, the instantinvention comprises a method and system for employing a computer system200 containing at least one unique patient medical information file anda plurality of medication information relative for each of a pluralityof predetermined drugs. The method of drug management utilizestransferable labels 700, seen in FIG. 5, with the method beginning, asseen in FIG. 1, with the steps of providing a medication package 800containing at least one medication. Typical medication packages 800might include, by way of example and not limitation, vials 820 forinjectable medications, and blister packages 830 for orally administeredmedications, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. As seen in FIG. 1, medicationsare ordered from suppliers 2 and are received in a pharmacy 4 or otherreceiving unit. Medications will be of two types that are initiallyseparated 6 by the system: those having a non-transferable machinereadable label providing primary information 810 as part of themedication package 800 and those that do not. Those that do not have anon-transferable machine readable label will have visually discerniblehuman language labeling. In either case, the primary information 810, asseen in FIG. 6, may be as simple as the name and strength of the drug,or may be more complex and have additional information such as productexpiration date and lot number.

Next, the method comprises the step of applying a transferable label 700containing machine readable information 710 to the medication package800, the transferable label information being relative to themedication. The system may utilize a variety of input means capable ofreceiving a plurality of information and communicating with the computersystem 200 in generating the transferable labels 700. Those medicationpackages 800 having a non-transferable machine readable label arescanned 8 with a drug information collection unit 310 and a transferablelabel 700 is printed, by a printer 500 in communication with thecomputer system 200 and capable of printing machine readable codecorresponding to the information relative to the medication, withmachine readable code 710 and affixed 12 to the medication package 800.Those medication packages 800 not having a non-transferable machinereadable label have their primary information 810 input 10 into thecomputer system 200 and a transferable label 700 is printed containingmachine readable code 710 and affixed 14 to the medication package 800.Such input can be accomplished by such means as, by way of example andnot limitation, an alphanumeric input device 320 such as a keyboard, andby a computer mouse 330. The transferable label 700 may be affixed tothe medication package as an adjunct step by the printer 500, or by aseparate process, including manual transfer.

The function of the transferable label 700 may be enhanced by variousembodiments. The utilization of a data matrix code enhances the amountof information that may be contained on the transferable label 700. Forexample, a 2D datamatrix code is able to contain up to 2335 charactersin a 0.72 inch square (1.8 cm²). A preferable embodiment includes atransferable label having an area of less than approximately 0.25 in²(0.64 cm²) with a machine readable code having an area of less thanapproximately 0.2 in² (0.5 cm²). Various error correction protocols maybe employed, allowing for correct scanning with up to 50% of the codedamaged. The transferable label 700 may be shaped as a tabbed label foreasy placement and removal with the finger tips and may have an adhesivebacking capable of multiple adhesion-removal cycles. The material of thetransferable label 700 may be fabricated from a low stretch material,such as, by ways of example and not limitation, polypropylene, such thatmechanical stresses associated with placement and removal of thetransferable label 700 do not tend to stretch the label, and therebydamage the readability of the code. Additionally, the transferable label700 material may be fabricated from materials resistant to commonsolvents found in health care settings, such as, by way of example andnot limitation, alcohol and povidone-iodine solutions.

The method proceeds, as seen in FIG. 1, by scanning the transferablelabel 700 with a drug information collection unit 310 adapted to obtainthe transferable label information from the transferable label 700 andcommunicating the transferable label information from the druginformation collection unit 310 to a computer system 200, which comparesthe transferable label information and primary information 810 obtainedfrom the medication package 800. Regardless of whether the medicationpackage 800 had a non-transferable machine readable label or whether theprimary information 810 was otherwise input into the computer system200, an important step in the method is this comparing 20, seen in FIG.2, of the medication package 800 primary information 810 with themachine readable code 710 imprinted on the transferable label 700. Inthe case of those medications where the medication package 800 had anon-transferable machine readable label, that label is again scanned 16with a drug information collection unit 310 and the machine readablecode 710 of the transferable label 700 is scanned 16 with a datacollection unit 340 and the information derived from the two scans arecompared 20, as seen in FIG. 2. The drug information collection unit 310and the data collection unit 340 may be part of the same scanning deviceor may be configured as separate devices.

In the case of those medications where the medication package 800 didnot have a non-transferable machine readable label, the machine readablecode 710 of the transferable label 700 is scanned 18 with a druginformation collection unit 310 and the scan of the transferable label700 is compared 20 to the primary information 810 as displayed on themedication packaging 800, as also seen in FIG. 2.

If the transferable label information corresponds to the primaryinformation 810 and the comparing therefore results in a match 20, seenagain in FIG. 2, the medication is released and transported to thedispensing area 26. In the case of non-agreement, an error message maybe produced and an incident report may be generated 24, and themedication is not released.

Released medication is then transported to a patient care area byprescription 28 and prepared 30 for final administration in a patientadministration vehicle 900, and the transferable label 700 istransferred 32 from the medication package 800 to the patientadministration vehicle 900, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Typicaladministration vehicles might include, but are not limited to, syringes910 for injectable medications, and dose cups 920 for orallyadministered medications. It is at this point in the current state ofthe art that the usual chain of identity between labeled medication andmedication ready for administration is broken. In a prototypicalexample, medication is drawn from a labeled vial 820 into an unlabelledsyringe 910. There is, in current state of the art, no practical way oftransferring the label from the vial 820 to the syringe 910, and so avariety of ad hoc methods, such as hand labeling, attaching the vial 820to the syringe 910 with tape, and others, are typically employed to tryto keep track of the nature of the drug in the syringe 910. Suchmeasures are of limited utility, and are failure prone.

In the present invention, there can be a near seamless movement of thetransferable label 700 from a medication package 800 to a patientadministration vehicle 900. Typical combinations of a medication package800 and a patient administration vehicle 900 are seen in FIG. 6, showinga drug vial 810 bearing a transferable label 700 and a needle tippedsyringe 900 bearing a transferred label 700. Also shown in FIG. 7, is ablister package 830 bearing a transferable label 700 and a dose cup 920,also bearing the transferable label.

At the time of administration, as seen now in FIG. 3, the methodincludes scanning a patient identification device 34 with a datacollection unit 340 adapted to obtain patient identification informationfrom both a patient identification device and the transferable label700, then scanning 36 the transferable label 700 with the datacollection unit 340 to obtain the transferable label information.Typical patient identification devices might include, but are notlimited to, a tamper-evident bracelet or band bearing predeterminedindicia. If comparing 38 the patient identification information and thetransferable label information produces correspondence, administrationis authorized 40, and the medication may be administered 42 and recorded44.

As also seen in FIG. 3, if comparing results in non-agreement followingscanning 34 the patient identification device and scanning 36 thetransferable label 700, administration is not authorized and the methodmay generate in an error message and incident report 24.

The utility of the computer system 200 and network 600 in enhancingpatient care and safety will be appreciated in many ways by one skilledin the art. The step of comparing the patient identification informationand the transferable label information may also include communicatingthe patient identification information and the transferable labelidentification to the computer system 200, and recording theadministration 42 of the medication in the data collection unit 340 andcommunicating the administration 42 to the computer system 200.

For example, the network 600 may communicate the patient identificationinformation to the computer system 200 and associate the patientidentification information to at least one unique patient medicalhistory file. This would allow for cross checking medications against apatient's medical history, history of allergies, drug interactions,dosage regimes, and virtually any other quantifiable patient or druginformation that may be gathered and contained in the computer system200. The network connecting various components of the computer system200 may be wireless or wired.

Collection and processing of information on health care givers may alsobe incorporated into the method. For example, the method may furtherinclude the step of scanning at least one administration identificationdevice with the data collection unit 340, adapted to obtainadministration identification information from a health care giver. Suchadministration identification information may include the personalidentity and other credentials of the health care giver, and theadministration identification device may comprise any machine readablecode, such as a bar code, and may be incorporated into any uniquepersonal indicia, such as the identification badge of the health careprovider. The data collection unit 340 may communicate theadministration identification information to the computer system 200. Asone example, the computer system 200 may authorize a wider range ofhealth care givers to administer certain medications, namely thosehaving a lower risk of adverse effects. The administration of moredangerous medications may be restricted to those having enhanced access.Health care givers may be restricted to administering drugs to certainpatients, organized by identity or location, or to administration oncertain patient care units, or at certain predetermined times, oraccording to any other quantifiable scheme.

Security can be further enhanced by imposing a time limit between scansof the patient identification device and the administrationidentification device; that is, requiring that one proposing toadminister a medication scan their own and the patient's informationwithin a predetermined time limit. In such a refinement, the method mayinclude the step of scanning the at least one administrationidentification device with the data collection unit 340, and alsorequire scanning the patient identification device within apredetermined amount of time of scanning the at least one administrationidentification device. The data collection unit 340 may communicate theadministration identification information to the computer system 200,and deny access to the patient medical history file if the time betweenscans of the patient identification device and the administrationidentification device exceeds a predetermined time limit. Such a stepwould tend to discourage health care givers from scanning theiradministration identification device and then handing off the medicationto another person for administration.

One skilled in the art will also readily see that a variety of otherrefinements may be utilized as part of the method and system. Forexample, further including the step of comparing the transferable labelinformation and the patient medical history file and then generating anddisplaying a warning message if comparing produces non-agreement, willtend to decrease the incidence of medication errors. As noted above,health care givers can be incorporated into the method of the instantinvention, by further including the step of comparing the transferablelabel information, the patient medical history file, and theadministration identification information. The method might thengenerate and display a warning message if comparing producesnon-agreement between any two of the transferable label information, thepatient medical history file, and the administration identificationinformation.

A wide variety of display devices, capable of displaying any of theplurality of information and communicating with the computer system 200,may be adapted to this system. Such display devices might include, butare not limited to, monitors 410 or other local displays 420, such asaudible, visual, or tactile alarms; at many points in the method.Display devices may be built into input devices such as the druginformation collection unit 310 or the data collection unit 340, as seenin FIG. 4. Display devices may be distinct from input devices yet bephysically closely associated, as for example, a monitor 410 placedadjacent to a computer mouse 330, as also seen in FIG. 4. Displaydevices may also be distant from the actual medication preparation andadministration areas, for example, supervisors may be able to monitorindividual patients, health care givers, patient care units, ormedication preparation areas from their offices or other locations.

The method may be used to generate a wide variety of reports, including,but not limited to, incident reports of non-agreement of scans, billinginformation, pharmacy orders, individual patient reports, and assessmentof individual health care givers.

The method may also have a self-disabling feature if certain criticalevents are reported. For example, the method may further comprise thestep of denying access to the unique patient medical history filefollowing the generation of an incident report, the access being capableof restoration only by authorized personnel. Such a “lock out” wouldrequire that a supervisory person re-initiate patient access, andpresumably investigate the precipitating circumstances of such a “lockout,” before the system would authorize any further medicationadministration to a an individual patient, or even a group of patients.

Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferredembodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in theart and they are all anticipated and contemplated to be within the scopeof the instant invention. For example, although specific embodimentshave been described in detail, those with skill in the art willunderstand that the preceding embodiments and variations can be modifiedto incorporate various types of substitute and or additional oralternative materials, relative arrangement of elements, and dimensionalconfigurations.

Accordingly, even though only few variations of the present inventionare described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of suchadditional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, arewithin the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The system and method answers a long felt need for increasing safety inthe administration of medication by providing a practical means formaintaining a chain of identity of a medication from the time it isreceived in a pharmacy or other receiving area to the time that it isadministered to a patient. The apparatus provides a transferable labelthat moves, attached to the medication, along with the medicationthrough the various transport steps involved in delivering a medicationto a patient.

1. A method for drug management using transferable labels, the methodcomprising the steps of: providing a medication package containing atleast one medication and primary information; applying a transferablelabel containing transferable label information expressed as machinereadable code to the medication package, the transferable labelinformation being at least relative to the medication; scanning thetransferable label with a drug information collection unit adapted toobtain the transferable label information from the transferable label;communicating the transferable label information from the druginformation collection unit to a computer system; comparing thetransferable label information and primary information obtained from themedication package; preparing the medication for final administration ina patient administration vehicle if the transferable label informationcorresponds to the primary information; transferring the transferablelabel from the medication package to the patient administration vehicle;scanning a patient identification device with a data collection unitadapted to obtain patient identification information from the patientidentification device and communicating the patient identificationinformation to the computer system and associating the patientidentification information to at least one unique patient medicalhistory file; scanning the transferable label with the data collectionunit to obtain the transferable label information; comparing the patientidentification information and the transferable label information;further comprising the steps of scanning at least one administrationidentification device with the data collection unit, further adapted toobtain administration identification information, within a predeterminedamount of time of scanning the patient identification device andcommunicating the administration identification information to thecomputer system and denying access to the patient medical history fileif the time between the scanning of the patient identification deviceand the administration identification device exceeds the predeterminedtime limit; comparing the transferable label information, the patientmedical history file, and the administration identification information;generating and displaying a warning message on at least one warningdevice in communication with the computer system if comparing producesnon-agreement between any two of the transferable label information, thepatient medical history file, and the administration identificationinformation and denying access to the unique patient medical historyfile following the generation of the warning message, the access beingcapable of restoration only by an authorized person; and administeringthe medication if the patient identification information corresponds tothe transferable label information and the time between the scanning ofthe patient identification device and the administration identificationdevice does not exceed the predetermined time limit and no non-agreementbetween any two of the transferable label information, the patientmedical history file, and the administration identification informationhas been detected.
 2. The method of claim 1, further including the stepof generating an incident report in communication with the computersystem if comparing produces non-agreement between any two of thetransferable label information, the patient medical history file, andthe administration identification information.
 3. A system for drugmanagement using transferable labels, the system comprising: a computersystem containing at least one unique patient medical history file and aplurality of medication information relative for each of a plurality ofpredetermined drugs; a plurality of input means capable of receiving aplurality of information and communicating with the computer system; aplurality of display means capable of displaying any of the plurality ofinformation and communicating with the computer system; a reportgenerating means in communication with the computer system and capableof generating at least an incident report; means for scanning at leastone administration identification device with a data collection unit,adapted to obtain administration identification information, within apre-determined amount of time of scanning the patient identificationdevice and communicating the administration identification informationto the computer system; means to deny access to the patient medicalhistory file if the time between the scanning of the patientidentification device and the administration identification deviceexceeds a predetermined time limit; at least one printer incommunication with the computer system and capable of printing atransferable label containing transferable label information expressedas machine readable code corresponding to the information relative tothe medication; at least one transferable label, imprinted with themachine readable code; and a patient administration vehicle for deliveryof the medication to a patient.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein theplurality of input means includes at least one drug informationcollection unit capable of reading machine readable code expressed onthe transferable label.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the printer isfurther capable of affixing any of the at least one transferable labelsto at least one medication package.
 6. The system of claim 3, whereinthe machine readable code is a datamatrix code.
 7. The system of claim6, wherein the machine readable code is a 2D datamatrix code having acapacity of up to 2335 characters in a square having sides 0.72 inchesin length.
 8. The system of claim 3, wherein the machine readable codecontains an error correction code allowing for correct scanning with upto 50% of the code damaged.
 9. The system of claim 3, wherein the atleast one transferable label is shaped as a tabbed label having anadhesive backing capable of multiple adhesion-removal cycles.
 10. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the at least one transferable label isconstructed of a material substantially resistant to alcohol andpovidone-iodine solutions.
 11. The system of claim 3, wherein the atleast one transferable label is constructed of a low stretch material.12. The system of claim 11, wherein the low stretch material ispolypropylene.
 13. The system of claim 3, wherein the patientadministration vehicle is a syringe.
 14. The system of claim 3, whereinthe patient administration vehicle is a dose cup.
 15. A method for drugmanagement using transferable labels, the method comprising the stepsof: providing a medication package containing at least one medication;applying a transferable label containing transferable label informationexpressed as machine readable code to the medication package, thetransferable label information being at least relative to themedication; scanning the transferable label with a drug informationcollection unit adapted to obtain the transferable label informationfrom the transferable label; communicating the transferable labelinformation from the drug information collection unit to a computersystem; comparing the transferable label information and primaryinformation obtained from the medication package; preparing themedication for final administration in a patient administration vehicleif the transferable label information corresponds to the primaryinformation; transferring the transferable label from the medicationpackage to the patient administration vehicle; scanning a patientidentification device with a data collection unit adapted to obtainpatient identification information from the patient identificationdevice and the transferable label; communicating the patientidentification information to the computer system and associating thepatient identification information to at least one unique patientmedical history file; scanning the transferable label with the datacollection unit to obtain the transferable label information; displayingon at least one display device at least a portion of the informationcontained in the computer system; comparing the patient identificationinformation and the transferable label information; generating a warningmessage and generating at least an incident report if the patientidentification information does not correspond to the transferable labelinformation; scanning at least one administration identification devicewith the data collection unit, further adapted to obtain administrationidentification information, within a pre-determined amount of time ofscanning the patient identification device and communicating theadministration identification information to the computer system anddenying access to the patient medical history file if the time betweenthe scanning patient identification device and the administrationidentification device exceeds the pre-determined time limit; andadministering the medication if the patient identification informationcorresponds to the transferable label information.
 16. A transferablelabel for use in delivering and tracking a drug to be administered to apatient, the transferable label comprising: a first layer having a topsurface and a bottom surface, the top surface carrying a machinereadable code, the bottom surface including an adhesive coating; whereinthe first layer is removably attached to a medication package andselectively transferable to a patient administration vehicle.
 17. Thetransferable label of claim 16, wherein the machine readable code is atwo dimensional data matrix.
 18. The transferable label of claim 17,wherein the first layer further includes a human readable code relevantto the medication package.
 19. The transferable label of claim 17,wherein the first layer further includes a human readable code relevantto the patient.
 20. A method for drug administration managementutilizing transferable labels for tracking a medication at a health carefacility, beginning once a medication prescription is filled and untilthe medication is administered to a target patient, the methodcomprising the steps of: providing a medication package and a targetpatient information, the medication package containing at least onemedication and primary information; scanning the primary information ofthe medication package with a drug information collection unit;communicating the scanned primary information and the target patientinformation to a drug management computer system; printing atransferable label containing transferable label information expressedas machine readable code corresponding to the primary information of themedication package and information corresponding to the target patient;comparing the transferable label information and primary informationobtained from the medication package and affixing the printedtransferable label to the medication package, provided that thetransferable label information and primary information match, otherwise,abort the method; presenting the medication package for use by a healthcare giver; scanning the identification device of the health care giverand obtaining a health care giver identification information with a datacollection unit; scanning the identification device of the targetpatient and collecting a patient identification information with thedata collection unit; scanning the transferable label of the medicationpackage with the data collection unit; communicating the health caregiver identification information, the patient identificationinformation, and transferable label information to the drug managementcomputer system; comparing the patient identification information, thehealth care giver identification information, and the transferable labelinformation from the medication package against a patient medical fileaccessed by the drug management computer system and permitting thehealth care giver to prepare the medication for administration in apatient administration vehicle provided that no non-agreement isidentified by the drug management computer, otherwise, abort the method;transferring the transferable label from the medication package to thepatient administration vehicle provided no non-agreement is identified;administering the medication to the target patient using the patientadministration vehicle provided that no non-agreement between any two ofthe transferable label information, the patient medical history file,and the health care giver identification information has been detected;and scanning the patient administration vehicle upon completingadministration of the medication to the target patient, verifying, andcommunicating the administration of the medication to the drugmanagement computer system.
 21. The method of claim 20, furtherincluding the steps of generating and displaying a warning message on atleast one warning device in communication with the computer system ifcomparing produces a non-agreement between any two of the transferablelabel information, the patient medical history file, and theadministration identification information and denying access to thepatient medical history file following the generation of the warningmessage.
 22. The method of claim 20, further including the step ofdenying access to the patient medical history file if the time betweenscanning the patient identification device and the health care giveridentification device exceeds a pre-determined time limit.